Shoppers threaten Wal-Mart boycott over opposition to religious liberty (RFRA)

Wal-Mart’s CEO has taken a side against religious liberty by asking the Arkansas Governor to veto the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and now twitter shoppers are firing back.

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company says the legislation “threatens to undermine” the state’s inclusive spirit and does not reflect the company’s values.

“Every day in our stores, we see firsthand the benefits diversity and inclusion have on our associates, customers and communities we serve,” Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillan said in a statement posted to Twitter. “It all starts with our core basic belief of respect for the individual. Today’s passage of HB1228 threatens to undermine the spirit of inclusion present throughout the state of Arkansas and does not reflect the values we proudly uphold.”

HB 1228 which is still making it’s way through the Arkansas legislature reads in part:

It is the intent of the General Assembly to:
(1) Ensure that in all cases in which state action substantially burdens the exercise of religion strict scrutiny is applied;
(2) Provide a claim or defense to a person whose exercise of religion is substantially burdened by state action; and
(3) Implement Article 2, § 24, of the Arkansas Constitution, which states that “[N]o human authority can, in any case or manner whatsoever, control or interfere with the right of conscience”.

Todd Starnes and Tony Perkins both jumped in with the following tweets:

Some criticize the Wal-Mart CEO for doing business with China but opposing religious people in his own state.

Others are either calling for a boycott or vowing to not shop at Wal-Mart:

Among them is Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church and former two-term president of the Southern Baptist Convention, who is preparing to lead the nation in prayer on May 7 in Washington, D.C. as honorary chair of the 64th annual National Day of Prayer.

Graham tweeted, “What if millions of evangelical Christians no longer patronized Wal Mart and others who do not support Religious Liberty?”

Others joined in :